Great articles and resources on family and parenting.

The Problem With Competition

May 3, 2012

The problem with embracing competition is that competition, itself, becomes the end game. We compete just to compete — not some other higher outcome. And in hot competition, people begin to confuse what is hard with what is valuable. Moreover, that develops a quest to compete amidst unattainable odds, which is subtly demoralizing. Storied entrepreneur [...]

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Why Don’t We Sanction Naps?

May 1, 2012

As father of two preschoolers, I advocate naps. Most importantly, naps refresh my kids. Naps make them happier people and function better. So I asked the question at Julian’s pre-Kindergarten parent orientation night: ”Do the kids get nap time or even quiet time in Kindergarten?” The principle leading the discussion said yes, but the other teachers [...]

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Moving Up Market

April 30, 2012

Costco never ceases to amaze me. There’s a lot to love, from double-seat shopping carts to caskets (displayed in the exit aisle adjacent the snack bar) to wedding services. The theme of Costco is value, whether you’re buying staples like diapers and organic milk, or higher-priced items like vacations and automobiles. During our last visit, [...]

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Jesus Is Trending On Twitter

April 26, 2012

If Jesus were to appear, would you embrace the moment, or spend your time photographing and Tweeting it on your smart phone? I recently documented my discomfort with “helicopter shutterbugs” — those hovering parents who photograph every moment of their kids’ lives. That sparked some smart feedback from friends and readers, who helped me synthesize [...]

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Scored A Baseball At The Mets Game!

April 25, 2012

I scored last-minute tickets to the first in a three-game series of the Mets versus the Marlins. We got great seats behind the visitor dugout adjacent third base. I originally got two tickets, and then got two more. So I brought the entire family. It was Celeste’s first game and Julian’s third (and this wis was his first). [...]

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Get Your Digital Footprint In Order

April 24, 2012

Connected devices are prone to security threats, bloatware and performance degradation. You have to work just to stand still. And each additional device means additional monitoring and maintenance! My biggest vulnerabilities? Whether laptops or smart phones, I tend to download and sample lots of software and apps, and then multitask frequently. That results in frequent [...]

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Does Social Media Make Us Lonely?

April 23, 2012

I have a growing concern about the impact of social media and connected devices (especially smart phones) on our attention and psychological well-being. I’m concerned for myself, and I’m especially concerned for our kids, who are entering an unprecedented period of connectedness. I feel we don’t fully understand the impact, yet we’re forcing it upon [...]

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